Do you often feel as if certain foods might be causing you discomfort but you cannot pinpoint which foods or chemicals might be the cause? If so, you may have sensitivities to certain food, food chemicals or additives. Frequent headaches, chronic digestive problems and fatigue, as well as a number of other common health complaints can often be caused by reactions to the foods and chemicals in our diet. For those who want to feel better, relief can now be found through the LEAP program, a simple, non invasive and very effective treatment plan for food sensitivity related illness.

Symptoms provoked by food sensitivities occur when our immune system begins perceiving foods in the same way it perceives things that are truly harmful--bateria, viruses, parasites, etc.. This mistaken identity leads to the release of toxic chemicals called "mediators" (such as histamine, cytokines, and prostaglandins) from our immune cells. It's the inflammatory and pain-inducing effect of the mediators that give rise to symptoms making us feel sick.

Food sensitivity symptoms are often chronic. This is because the mediators are released every time you eat reactive foods. It does not matter what drugs or supplements we take to try and get better--if we have food sensitivities and don't figure out which foods may be causing a problem, getting better and staying better becomes a long-term struggle.

LEAP or Lifestyle Eating and Performance is a program that will help you overcome any food sensitivity problems you might have. LEAP allows you to quickly identify what foods, additives, and chemicals are likely provoking your symptoms, and, more importantly, which foods have the highest probability of being safe. LEAP uses a patented, proven blood test named MRT (Mediator Release Test) to isolate a safe foods diet for you. MRT eliminates the guesswork to give you definitive answers. Once the test is performed, an eating plan is developed and tailored to the needs of each individual client. You will be assisted by Cara Marrs, RD a Certified LEAP Therapist to implement your new eating plan. Cara offers the LEAP MRT testing along with 4 (1/2) hour nutrition sessions to tailor your ImmunoCalm diet plan. The LEAP program has helped thousands of people suffering from food sensitivities overcome their hurdles and find lasting relief. This is done without the ongoing cost and side effects of additional medications. Most patients will see results in 1-2 weeks.

For athletes:For a number of years, MRT has been coming into more and more frequent use for collegiate and professional athletes. The University of Miami Hurricanes, for example, have used this methodology to optimize diet and eliminate performance robbing symptomology in athletes with GI and "headache" symptoms, as well as common inflammatory symptoms.

LEAP has been officially endorsed by the University of Miami Hurricanes, and the University works with Signet as needed to support their work to continuously evolve and improve upon methodologies used. In addition, the MRT test method has been widely used for several years to modify diets of professional athletes, including NFL players. Dietary programs, plans, and recommendations are based on the MRT results.

A few common questions:

Is MRT accurate?

A. MRT is the most accurate blood test available for food sensitivities. Scientific studies have

shown MRT to be 94.5% accurate in sensitivity and 91.8% accurate in specificity in detecting reactive foods.

What is the difference between MRT and other tests for food sensitivities?

1. MRT measures reactions from lymphocytes, granulocytes, and platelets. Other cellular tests are limited to either lymphocytes or granulocytes.

2. MRT is an endpoint test. This means MRT provides the most comprehensive information of reactive and non-reactive substances. Serum blood tests such as ELISA IgG and other types of IgG testing limit themselves to the kind of immunologic reaction they can measure. Scientific studies have shown that food sensitivities involve at least seven different possible triggering mechanisms that can cause immune cells to react and release chemical mediators. MRT measures the reaction of the cells that are affected by the specific triggering mechanisms. The other tests measure the individual triggering mechanism that may not actually cause mediator release.

3. MRT is a functional live cell analysis measuring actual reactions of one’s immune cells. Serum tests measure static levels of antibodies in your blood assuming that that is the mechanism causing immune cells to react.

4. The LEAP Test is quantitative. It quantifies the degree of the reaction that the food has

caused, helping to identify dosage dependent reactions.

How does MRT work?

A. MRT measures changes in the liquids to solids ratio of one’s blood after the blood has been exposed and incubated with the test substance so that all reactions by one’s immune cells can be accounted for. This is done as an indicator that one’s immune cells have released chemical mediators such as histamine. Significant reactions are broken into either Reactive (Red) or Moderately Reactive (Yellow) categories and insignificant reactions (Green) are placed in the Non-Reactive category. All measurements are made using the most accurate method of measurement (Ribbon technology) currently available.

How can Cara help you?

Cara can work with you in person or by distance. Please call Cara for a consult to determine whether MRT testing is indicated for your needs @ 970-870-0100.